


Rare Memories

by WinterMoonlight



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe - War, Cameo from a Previous Yu-Gi-Oh! Series, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Some Chapters are Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Some Chapters are Not Canon Compliant, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Rare Pair Week (2019)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-24 10:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19721422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterMoonlight/pseuds/WinterMoonlight
Summary: A collection of oneshots for ARC-V Rare Pair Week (2019).Day 1: Nostalgic [Clearnightshipping (Yugo/Serena)]Day 2: Summer [Syncshipping (Yuya/Yugo)]Day 3: Rogue [Collisionshipping (Yuto/Yugo)]Day 4: Legend [Brashshipping (Shingo/Serena)]Day 5: Regret [Oddeyesshipping (Yuya/Zarc)]Day 6: Melody [Emblemshipping (Yuya/Serena)]Day 7: Shadow [Spectershipping (Yuto/Yuri)]





	1. Nostalgic

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1  
> Prompt: Nostalgic  
> Pairing: Clearnightshipping (Yugo/Serena)

The two D-Wheels shot around the turn, heading toward the nearest curve in the duel lane, and Yugo whoops as he rounds the corner with Clear Wing Synchro Dragon’s beautiful form flying above his head. It’s late at night but the sky is clear, allowing a beautiful gaze of the brilliant stars that lit up the night sky but Yugo can only feel the rush of the howling wind rushing past him. Even if he isn’t the only one inhabiting Yuya’s body, he’s glad that his counterparts are allowing him time to enjoy himself, even that annoying jerk Yuri.

But the greatest thing about racing down the duel lanes that wind around New Domino City is not just the feel of the howling wind rushing past him, it’s also the excitement that rushes through him at the duel that he is currently in the middle of.

“Are you going to make your move or not?” Serena’s irritated voice sounds behind him and Yugo grins, casting a glance over his shoulder as his opponent pulls up alongside him. Even though she is currently inhabiting Yuzu’s body, those irritated green eyes easily tell Yugo that she is in control.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he replies with a laugh. “But, c’mon, this is great! Doesn’t this remind you of our duel during the Friendship Cup?”

Serena huffs but a faint smile crosses her lips. “The setup is certainly the same. You’ve got Clear Wing on your field and I bet you have Red-Eyed Dice in your hand. You’re gonna bring out Crystal Wing, aren’t you?” she says.

Yugo isn’t surprised that Serena figured out what he’s going to do, mostly because the setup really is almost identical to their Friendship Cup match. As he summons Red-Eyed Dice, he can’t help but think back to the Friendship Cup. In spite of everything that happened during the Friendship Cup, Yugo can safely admit that the duel against Serena was the duel he had the most fun in. In fact, it’s probably the last duel that he can recall in which he actually had fun.

A soft nostalgic smile crosses his lips as he holds up a hand. “I tune my Level 7 Clear Wing Synchro Dragon with my Level 1 Tuner Red-Eyed Dice!” he declares and, as Clear Wing Synchro Dragon morphs into seven stars that the single tuning ring Red-Eyed Dice morphs into passes over, he chants:

“ _Shine the wings that store the holy light, and strike down your enemies with its radiance! Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level 8! Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!_ ”

As Crystal Wing flies onto the field, spreading its beautiful crystalline wings, Yugo glances over his shoulder at his opponent, a grin on his lips. “Ready for a repeat of our Friendship Cup match?” he says.

Serena scoffs, rolling her eyes as she increases her speed. “Who says I’m gonna lose this time?” she says.

“Hey, you might pull out a win, you might not. I was actually talking about the fun part! We had such a fun time during our Friendship Cup match, huh?”

“It was enjoyable,” Serena admits, a faint smile on her lips as she turns her gaze to the sky. “It was probably the last fun duel that I actually had before everything went to hell.”

“Tell me about it but, hey, let’s make this fun again! Don’t ya hold back on me, Serena,” Yugo says with a grin.

“Like I ever do.” The smile on Serena’s lips grew wider as anticipation shines in her eyes. “Your turn’s not over yet though.”

“Oh, I know,” Yugo says and, deciding to steal a page out of Yuya’s page, he holds out his hands and adds, “after all, the fun has _only_ just begun!”  
Serena snorts. “It sounds better coming from Yuya,” she says.

Yugo pouts.

Serena smirks.

“You’re just messing with me, aren’t ya?”

“Of course.”

**. . .**


	2. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: Yuya loves visiting the beach during the summer and decides that he will take Yugo with him this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week (2019)  
> Day 2  
> Prompt: Summer  
> Pairing: Syncshipping (Yuya/Yugo)

Yuya loves going to the beach during the summer. The sand feels nice and cool underneath his bare feet and even the occasional sea shell, or piece of a sea shell, that he steps on don’t bother him that much. The cool waters of the ocean that cascades upon his feet when he reaches the edge of the beach feels as nice as he remembers from the last time he and his family visited it.

Now if only he can convince Yugo to come closer.

“C’mon, Yugo,” he insists, turning around on the wet sand near as the waves continue to roll forward and backwards to crash into his feet, rising higher so that they are soaking his calves up to his knees. “It’s fine.”

“Nuh uh,” Yugo says, shaking his head, his blue eyes warily eyeing the water. “Did you see what those waves did to that dog?” He points to a dog who’s practically dragging his owner out of the waters, drenched head to toe. Earlier, it had been bowled over by a stray wave and is now absolutely refusing to stay in the water anymore.

Yugo seems to be on the same level as that dog, even if he hasn’t even touched the water yet.

Yuya rolls his eyes. “It’s not like the wave will knock you over, Yugo,” he says as more water surges over his legs. An occasional seaweed sweeps past his feet and he moves over when the sand becomes soft and slippery so that he doesn’t loose his balance when the next wave hits him.

“How can you even stand there? Aren’t you scared it’s gonna knock you over and drag you into the ocean or something?” Yugo asks.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Yuya says with a light laugh. Really. He can understand why Yugo is wary. While there is an ocean near New Domino City in the Synchro Dimension, he knows that his boyfriend has never been near the ocean. The area of the Commons that he and Rin used to live in was nowhere near the ocean so he’s never visited it before. Even during the Friendship Cup, the duels never went far enough out that it went over the water.

“How can you be so sure?” Yugo says.

“I’ve done this plenty of times, Yugo. C’mon, the water’s nice and cool. I bet it’ll be a nice change from the heat,” Yuya says with a grin and, when he sees that the wariness isn’t leaving Yugo’s eyes or that his boyfriend isn’t moving from his spot on the top of the hill of sand, he sighs and holds out a hand. “C’mon, I promise you won’t get knocked over. Have I ever lied to you before?”

“Well, no...All right, fine, but if I fall over, don’t you dare tell that jerk Yuri. He’ll never let me live it down,” Yugo grumbles as he cautiously makes his way down the small hill of sand, his bare feet sinking into the mud until he’s at Yuya’s side. He shivers as a wave crashes into his legs and slips his hand into Yuya’s.

Yuya squeezes it and turns his gaze to the sparkling waters that lay beyond, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he says.

“Yeah...I’ve never been this close to the ocean before,” Yugo admits, shifting closer to Yuya when another wave that rises a bit higher than the last one crashes into them, drenching Yugo’s calves. “Are you sure this is safe?”

“Don’t worry so much, Yugo,” Yuya chirps, a grin on his lips as he turns and pulls Yugo closer to him and the other boy leans against him, head resting on his shoulder. “You’ll be fine. And you can tell Yuri that you actually stood in the ocean. He won’t even do that.”

“Really?” Yugo perks up at that.

“Yup. Serena tried to convince him to take a swim in the ocean and Yuri refused to do it.”

“So I’m braver than Yuri? Sweet!” A huge grin crosses Yugo’s lips and Yuya chuckles. It’s nice seeing such a carefree, happy smile on Yugo’s lips.

“C’mon, let’s go back to the beach. We can look for seashells. I want to get some for Yuzu and Mom,” he says.

“Sure. Hmm, I should get some for Rin.” Yugo scampers out of the ocean and Yuya follows him, both of them making their way up the small hill onto dryer stand. Sand covers their legs from the calves down but they ignore it as they move around the beach, picking up shells or pieces of shells that they think their friends might like.

Yuya picks up a full shell, surprised by the faint blue sheen that covers the top of it. He smiles because the blue sheen reminds him of his boyfriend’s eyes. He turns and jogs over to join Yugo who’s seated on the beach towel that rests under an umbrella perched into the sand.

“Hey Yugo, look what I found?” he says as he plops onto the towel next to Yugo. He holds out the shell toward Yugo and, with a shy little smile, adds, “It matches your eyes.”

A light blush covers Yugo’s cheek and he rubs the back of his neck with one hand as he takes the shell with the other. “Aw, thanks, Yuya,” he says.

Yuya smiles back and turns his gaze to the sparkling ocean and the sun that dangles above it like a locket of golden fire. “I always come down to the beach at least once during the summer. I’m glad I could share that day with you,” he says.

“Same,” Yugo says, putting the shell on the towel and resting his hand on Yuya’s. Yuya interlocks their fingers but doesn’t say anything more as he continues to gaze at the beautiful ocean that stretches as far as the eye can see in front of them.

Yugo rests his head on Yuya’s shoulder. “Thanks for letting me join ya,” he says.

“Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This little oneshot focuses on the one Dragon Boy pairing that I feels doesn't get nearly enough love. I really do feel that Yuya and Yugo would be incredibly cute together. I know they don't interact that often in canon but, considering Rottenshipping is a popular pairing in spite of the fact that Yuya and Yuri are polar opposites of each other, I feel that Syncshipping is more plausible primarily because Yuya and Yugo are similar to each other and I feel they would compliment each other rather well.
> 
> That's just my own opinion though but, since Syncshipping is a rare pairing, I have chosen it for Day 2 of Rare Pair Week.
> 
> As for this oneshot, I based it primarily on my own experiences when I first went to the ocean less than two weeks ago.
> 
> Thanks for reading and reviews and kudos are much apprecaited (and I should have put that in the first chapter. Whoops.)


	3. Rogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Tracking down a criminal in the underworld of New Domino City is easier said than done especially when Yuto has to deal with his loudmouth rash new partner…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week  
> Day 3  
> Prompt: Rogue  
> Pairing: Collisionshipping (Yuto/Yugo)

Yuto lets out a long sigh as he stops walking and turns to glare at his partner. Even though Yugo transferred to the new division with high honors from his last one, Yuto really wishes that someone had warned him of how loud Yugo was. It wasn’t that he didn’t mind the fact that Yugo likes to talk that much. It’s just that he felt that hunting down the rogue duelist who’d escaped from the police’s clutches would be a lot easier if Yugo was a lot quieter.

“...and Jack, Crow, and I actually had to team up to take the bastard down!” Yugo says with a large grin on his face, his eyes shining as he recalls the missions he’s taken with his previous partners.

“I doubt that we’ll need three people to take this rogue down,” Yuto says, folding his arms across his chest. “Though if you don’t quiet down, we might end up alerting him to the fact that we’re here and he’ll run.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” Yugo says.

Yuto sighs but smiles faintly. Yugo may be a loudmouth but he is a good partner nonetheless. They have been partners for only a few days since more rogue duelists started appearing in Heartland and New Domino City and the Lancers have been sent out to track them down and stop them from harming others.

The one they are chasing now is someone that has been eluding the Lancers for a while now.

Yuto is one of the Lancers’ best detectives so it didn’t surprise him when Reiji gave him the job of tracking down this current rogue duelist. Reiji told Yuto that Yugo is the best detective out of his own division so he hopes that they will be able to work well together to find this rogue.

Yugo comes to an abrupt halt and turns his head. “Isn’t this the alley where Mieru says she last saw the duelist?” he asks.

Yuto turns and glances at the street name that rests next to the streetlamp on the corner and recalls that Mieru mentioned the alley one block past this particular street is where she last saw the rogue duelist. “Yes, it is,” he says and, raising his duel disk, starts to make his way into the alley with Yugo walking quietly after him. At least he knows not to make too much noise in the alley and isn’t talking as loudly or as often as he was earlier.

They walk in silence down the alley, heading toward the far end. There is nothing in the alley aside from an overflowing dumpster and Yuto grimaces when his feet step on something soft. He doesn’t know what it is and he finds that he doesn’t want to know what it is.

“It stinks down here,” Yugo says, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

“All things considered, I’m not surprised,” says Yuto and turns to Yugo. “Try to keep your voice down. We don’t want anyone knowing that we’re here after all.”

“Right, right.” Yugo quiets and the two starts walking more quickly down the hallway.

They reach the edge of the alley when Yuto notices something off. “Get down,” he shouts, grabbing Yugo and yanking both of them to the ground as a burst of flames shoots over their head. He gasps because he can feel the heat coming from the flames.

“Shit, I can feel the heat from the flames,” Yugo gasps.

“It’s...real...” Yuto whispers, turning to Yugo who’s eyes are wide as understanding flashes across them.

“Psychic Duelist,” Yugo whispers.

Psychic duelists have been popping up more often since the Lancers were formed years earlier and no one knows as to what they are doing or why they are attacking. They just know that these duelists appeared in New Domino City and started traveling to other dimensions to attack other duelists.

A laugh sounds. “Good reflexes,” a voice says and Yuto lifts his head to see a green-haired young man with cruel eyes step forward. “But they won’t save you.”

“Who are you?” Yuto demands.

The person rests a hand on his chest. “I’m Rogue,” he says. “I’m the one you’re looking for.”

“A rogue duelist called Rogue? Are you serious?” Yugo deadpans. “What kind of name is that? That is so stupid.”

Rogue scowls.

Yuto gives Yugo a long look and, upon realizing that his arm is still around the other boy’s shoulders, quickly retracts his arm with an embarrassed cough and quickly stands up. Yugo jumps to his feet and clenches his fists.

“Why are you attacking all of those duelists?” he demands with a scowl on his lips.

Rogue shrugs. “It’s fun,” he says.

“You are a special kind of crazy, aren’t you?” Yuto deadpans as he raises his duel disk and activates it. “But I’m taking you down.”

“We are,” Yugo says and grins at Yuto, giving him a thumbs up and turning his gaze back to Rogue while a flush crosses Yuto’s lips. He doesn’t know why Yugo’s smile is causing him to feel flustered but it does.

“R...Right, right,” Yuto says with a firm nod, pushing that flustered feeling away and turning to gaze at Rogue because he knows that he needs to focus.

Rogue chuckles. “As if you can take me out,” he says.

Yuto normally isn’t the arrogant type. He isn’t someone who automatically believes he will win whenever he faces against any opponent and he isn’t someone who underestimates others when he duels them. That is why he isn’t underestimating Rogue and he’s right not to because Rogue currently has the advantage and has driven both Yuto and Yugo into a corner.

Yugo’s a good duelist but he’s a bit rash and Yuto hopes that it won’t come back to bite him in the ass. At least his Clear Wing Synchro Dragon is keeping Rogue from actually winning the duel.

Now he just needs to figure out how to get through Rogue’s defenses before Rogue finds a way around the combo that is currently keeping the two of them from taking any damage.

Yugo grins at him again. “Hey, you’ve got this, Yuto. Based on what I’ve read in that report I got before I joined up with you that you can so beat this bastard. If you can take down freaking Divine himself then you can so take down this lackey. You just gotta believe in yourself and believe in your deck and it’ll definitely pull through for you.”

“Lackey?” Rogue bristles in rage. “And you are the mysterious duelist who took down my leader? I see. All the more reason to destroy you then.”

But Yugo’s words are the boost that Yuto needs. He smiles in return and turns his gaze to Rogue, missing the slight flush that crosses Yugo’s cheeks, and his eyes sharpen. “I defeated Divine so I know that I can defeat you,” he says simply.

And defeat him he does.

With a roar, the beautiful form of Dark Requiem Xyz Dragon delivers the final blow with enough power that it blasts a shocked Rogue into the wall and knocks him out.

“Way to go, Yuto!” Yugo cheers.

Yuto lets loose a breath but smiles at Yugo. “You did well as well, Yugo,” he says and turns his gaze to Rogue. “Let’s cuff him before he escapes.”

“Gotcha!” Yugo blinks and adds, “Erm, do you have the cuffs? I think I forgot mine back at the base.”

“...” Yuto just gives Yugo a deadpan look.

“What?”

Yuto shakes his head but pulls out his own handcuffs and jogs over to join Rogue, snapping the coughs on the unconscious Psychic Duelist’s wrists and, with Yugo’s help, hoists him up.

“I’ll contact base and tell ‘em we caught the rogue duelist. I still can’t believe he called himself Rogue. How stupid is that,” Yugo says with a scoff as he pulls out his duel disk.

“Agreed,” Yuto says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Day 3 is late but I was exhausted yesterday and was unable to finish this yesterday so I finished it today. This and Day 4 will be posted simultaneously so I hope you enjoy it.


	4. Legend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Facing off against a legend in the dueling circuit is definitely on Shingo’s bucket list and if he can actually win then maybe he’ll end up impressing Serena and that’s always a good thing in his book

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week  
> Day 4  
> Prompt: Legend  
> Pairing: Brashshipping (Shingo/Serena)

Sawatari Shingo never expects that he will ever be able to face off against a legend in the dueling circuit but here he is, about to face off against a duelist who’s legendary status transcends decades. The legendary duelist Mutou Yugo, the King of Games, is definitely going to be the toughest challenge that Shingo has ever gone against but he is determined to show off his own skills and his own strength as a duelist and his own entertainment style.

He’ll definitely make everyone happy, just like he had been taught at You Show Duel School.

And maybe, just maybe, Serena will start to take him seriously as a duelist now.

He casts a glance toward the audience and grins when he catches the indigo-haired girl’s eyes. He waves at her, earning him a scoff and a shake of his head before Serena looks away.

A pout crosses Shingo’s lips. _Oh come on. You don’t gotta diss me like that, Serena,_ he thinks and turns his gaze to the legend standing across from him and raising his duel disk.

“Let’s do this,” he says happily.

Yugo Mutou calmly raises his own duel disk.

Even though Shingo has the advantage of Pendulums, it’s still a shocker to find that Yugi still has the skills to overcome everything that Shingo throws at him but, then, Shingo hadn’t expected to go against the freaking Egyptian God cards themselves.

“Well shit,” he groans upon seeing the massive form of Osiris the Heavenly Sky Dragon appear out of the rapidly darkening sky as strikes of lightning burst out of the thick dark gray clouds plump with rain.

At this point, he really isn’t surprised when he loses, and loses badly at that.

Well, in his opinion anyway.

“Good duel,” Yugi says as the field fades away and he holds out a hand toward Shingo who frowns but takes the hand and pulls himself to his feet.

“I still lost. Aw, now Serena ain’t never gonna take me seriously now,” he whines.

Yugi raises an eyebrow and then smiles and turns away. “I really don’t think you’ve gotta worry about that,” he says and walks away.

“Wait, what…?”

“Yo, idiot.”

Shingo turns to find Serena standing behind him with her arms folded across her chest. “Ah, hey Serena,” he greets and then frowns. “Wait, did you just call me an idiot? Why am I an idiot this time?”

Serena rolls her eyes. “You challenged Yugi Mutou to a duel just so that I would take you seriously as a duelist? What kind of stupid reason is that?” she says, unfolding her arms.

“Ah, well, you never seem to take me seriously whenever we duel so I just thought if I beat a legend then you would see that I am strong and would start taking me seriously, that’s all. And I so would have won if he hadn’t brought out that freaking God card,” Shingo boasts.

“You are such an idiot,” Serena scoffs. “I don’t take you seriously when we duel not because you’re not a strong duelist, idiot, but because of your antics. You are more of a clown when you duel than Yuya is and, at least, Yuya makes it work during his duels. You...not so much.”

“Hey!”

“You didn’t need to get your ass handed to you by a legend for me to take you seriously as a duelist. You just needed to either stop goofing off and focus a bit more on your strategies and your reaction time. And stop staring would also help.”

“I don’t stare!”

Serena raises an eyebrow. “Right,” she deadpans.

Shingo huffs, folding his arms across his chest in a pout and then thinks about Serena’s words and sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. He realizes that the indigo-haired girl is right, though he knows that he only does that because he is trying to make Serena laugh. The girl is always so serious during their duels that Shingo just wants her to start enjoying them more.

Maybe his attempts to get her to laugh and enjoy herself are what’s working against him at this moment.

“All right, all right, I guess I can tone down the goofing off during our duels a bit,” he says. “If it means you’ll take me seriously during our duels?” It comes out as more of a question.

Serena shrugs. “That’ll help, that and don’t go challenging legends to duels. You are nowhere near on the same level as the legends of the dueling circuit.”

Shingo facefaults at that.

The sad thing is, he knows that he can’t really argue against that.

Serena’s lips quirk a little. “But you did last for far longer than I thought you would so I guess you did well,” she says and walks away.

Shingo, picking himself off the ground, blinks as he realizes that, even if it had been a small one, Serena just complimented him.

“Score!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure about this one but, then, I'm not that great at portraying Sawatari's character, even though I have tried to delve into his perspective in my other ARC-V stories to try to help with that, but I hope you like it. I actually, oddly enough, like Brashshipping. Even if I prefer Serena with either Yuri or Yuya, it's still an interesting shipping to play around with.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this oneshot.


	5. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Looking into Yuya’s sad crimson eyes, Zarc finds himself wishing that what happened in the past hadn’t happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week  
> Day 5: Regret  
> Pairing: Oddeyesshipping (Yuya/Zarc)

The fight against the Light Kingdom has been going on for years and yet this is the first time that Zarc has found himself about to head to the frontlines of the battle. This is also the first time that he will be taking new recruits into their first battle against the most dangerous of the Light Kingdom’s forces.

He isn’t too upset about that because he knows that everyone fighting alongside him are fighting for similar reasons. Revenge.

But the boy that is standing at the entrance flap to Zarc’s war tent is the last person that he is expecting to see here.

Yuya...the boy whom Zarc has never pegged for a soldier. The boy is too innocent, too bright, too cheerful, that to find him standing at the entrance to his war tent is startling. He hadn’t even realized that Yuya had signed up to join the army.

“May I speak with you, Commander?” Yuya asks.

“Of course. Come in.” Zarc may be known for being a ruthless commander who has never once lost a battle against the Light Kingdom and who is always so stoic and cold that very few people are able to see past that. But Zarc hasn’t always been so cold. That is simply a result of what happened in his past that caused him to start down the path that he is currently walking.

Yuya makes his way deeper into the war tent, his jaded crimson eyes scanning the tent, which is empty save for the makeshift desk over which Zarc is studying the map of the terrain, and the positions of his enemies’ forces.

“What did you wish to speak about?” Zarc asks, straightening up and fixing yellow-gold eyes on the boy who doesn’t look a day over sixteen. It makes Zarc wonder what the recruiters were thinking allowing a sixteen-year-old to join the army. He knows that the Allied Kingdoms did begin a draft to ensure that they had enough able-bodied young men and women to fight against the Light Kingdom but he is positive that those young men are supposed to be, at least, eighteen.

Then again, he’s an exception himself, given that he has been fighting for two years now and he just barely turned eighteen a few weeks earlier.

“Some of the other soldiers have been talking,” Yuya says, “and I was just curious about some of the things they mentioned about you. I know it’s probably not my place to ask this but...I suppose I’m just curious.”

Zarc raises an eyebrow. He knows that his soldiers have a tendency of speaking about him when they think he isn’t listening. Some of them, such as Edo and Kaito, already know a bit about Zarc’s past but others are just stirring the pot by making up rumors that have no bearing on Zarc’s actual history.

He still can’t get over the one time he walked in on two of his men talking about how they thought Zarc was a vampire because he is rarely seen out of his war tent in daytime.

Where that ridiculous rumor came about, Zarc has no clue.

“You can ask,” he says out loud.

Yuya chews on his lower lip for a moment. “Did you really used to be an entertainer before you joined the army?” he asks.

An entertainer…

Zarc thinks back to the time before the war broke out, before he had lost everything to the Light Kingdom, where he would stand in front of crowds and entertain them in anyway that he could. Listening to the crowd’s laughter and cheers, seeing the excitement and happiness that shone in their eyes.

He always wanted to be an entertainer while he was growing up. He always wanted to make the audience laugh and be happy and have a good time.

If the war hadn’t broken out, if the Light Kingdom hadn’t decided to attack during one of his performances, then he would have remained an entertainer.

Instead, the Light Kingdom cost him everything. His family, the first woman he has ever loved, everything.

Judging by the wary look that crosses Yuya’s crimson eyes, Zarc realizes that his anger is probably showing on his face. Forcing himself to relax, he lets out a soft breath and inclines his head. “I used to be,” he says.

“Why did you stop?”

Zarc turns his gaze back to the map, his eyes fixing on the positions of the Light Kingdom’s forces. “The war,” he says. “I grew up in a town right along the border with the Light Kingdom. It was one of the first towns destroyed when the Light Kingdom invaded. I was in the middle of one of my performances when they attacked and I lost everyone I have ever cared about. I just...I can’t find it in myself to entertain anyone anymore, not after what happened.”

There’s a long moment of silence, then Zarc is surprised when he feels arms curl around his waist. A faint blush appears on his cheeks and he refuses to turn around, lest Yuya notice it, as he stiffens slightly at the sudden touch.

“I’m sorry,” Yuya says quietly, his voice slightly muffled from where it’s resting against Zarc’s back. “It hurts to lose those you care about but...I feel that you don’t have to let go of your dreams just because of what happened. I know this isn’t my place to say such things but would those you lost want you to give up on your dreams? I don’t think so. I lost my parents a few months ago when the Light Kingdom and the Allied Kingdom’s forces clashed back home, which is the reason why I joined the army so that I can help protect others, and yet I still can’t find it in myself to give up on my dreams to become an entertainer myself.”

Zarc remains silent. A few months ago…

“Maiami?” he asks quietly.

Yuya starts in surprise. “Yeah, that’s where I’m from,” he says.

Zarc closes his eyes. Maiami...Of course it would be Maiami that this boy is from. The one city that Zarc hadn’t been able to save. The one city that had been burned to the ground before Zarc and his forces could arrive to save it, and this was only because of Zarc’s own arrogance. He had underestimated the enemy, thinking they would never dare to attack the second most populace city in the Allied Kingdoms, and that had cost him.

This boy is probably one of only a few survivors of Maiami’s destruction.

Zarc lets loose a breath, feeling regret flood through him. Maiami’s destruction. If he hadn’t been so arrogant, hadn’t underestimated his enemy, and had just listened to his advisers when they insisted that Maiami would be the Light Kingdom’s next target then Maiami’s destruction may have never happened.

“I’m sorry...” he whispers.

“What are you sorry for?” Yuya pulls back and Zarc, taking a deep breath, turns to face the smaller boy.

“I’m sorry for what happened to Maiami,” he says.

Yuya tilts his head to the side in puzzlement. “Why are you sorry? It wasn’t your fault that the Light Kingdom attacked it,” he says.

“It was my fault that my forces and I didn’t arrive in time to stop them, and all because of my own arrogance and my own belief that I was right when I was, in fact, wrong,” Zarc says quietly. “I should have listened to my advisers but I thought that I was right and wouldn’t be swayed otherwise, until the news of Maiami’s destruction reached me and I realized that I had been wrong.”

It takes Zarc a moment to realize that Yuya’s arms are still wrapped around him. The boy doesn’t seem like he’s about to let go anytime soon. His crimson eyes are thoughtful as they study Zarc’s own golden-yellow and he gives him a soft smile, one of the first smiles that Zarc has seen since that dreaded day two years earlier.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Yuya says. “Don’t blame yourself for something you had no control over. Even if you thought you knew everything or whatever, that doesn’t change the fact that what happened was simply a mistake. Mistakes happen. That’s life. I don’t blame you for your mistake because I know you’re only human. Humans make mistakes all the time.”

“Humans making mistakes...it makes me wonder if this world would be better without them,” Zarc murmurs. That’s a thought that’s been on his mind a lot since the day he lost everything. Humans are known for making mistakes, are known for waging wars against each other, are known for harming others, are known for being corrupted, are known for fearing and hating what they didn’t understand.

Wouldn’t the world be better without humans?

“Don’t think like that,” Yuya chides, leaning back but still not removing his arms from around Zarc’s waist. “Yes, we humans make mistakes, yes, we humans fight against each other, but that doesn’t mean that all humans are bad. There are others who are just like how you used to be, and how I want to be once this war is over. People who just want everyone to be happy, to smile.”

Yuya tilts his head to gaze into Zarc’s eyes. “That’s what I am fighting for, Commander,” he says quietly. “I fight to bring back everyone’s happiness, everyone’s smiles, as well as protect everyone and ensure that no one has to get hurt ever again. What do you fight for?”

Zarc is silent, gazing into those calm crimson eyes.

He sighs and a soft half-smile crosses his lips because he can really see a lot of himself in Yuya, the person he had been before the Light Kingdom stole everything he ever loved and cared about from him.

Even if he does regret what happened to Yuya’s family and the city in which Yuya had been born in, he’s glad to see that Yuya hasn’t taken the same route that he, himself, took in light of that tragedy.

“Who do I fight for, huh?” he murmurs and, to Yuya’s surprise, he leans forward and plants a soft kiss on Yuya’s forehead. “I fight for people like you, people who are so willing to look on the brighter side of life, who are willing to fight for that bright future, who believe that it is possible for everyone to smile and happy once again.”

Yuya’s cheeks go red but Zarc barely notices as he gently pulls the smaller boy closer to him.

Because it isn’t just about revenge anymore. No. As Zarc holds Yuya close to him, feels the boy’s warmth against his own body, he knows that it is not about revenge anymore.

Now, he wants to ensure that the world that Yuya is fighting for can be realized.

Because Yuya is the light that this world needs.

And Zarc will protect that light with all of his power.

He will not add another regret onto his shoulders. He will find a way to end this war and ensure that the future is a bright one, one in which people like Yuya can find happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is with me and missing days for these prompts? O_o I have no clue as to how I didn't manage to get this one up yesterday but, yup, I completely missed the day. Ah well. It's up, even if it's a day late.
> 
> Anyway, today's (or, rather, yesterday's) prompt was Regret and I decided to do Oddeyesshipping (Yuya/Zarc) because...why not?
> 
> I hope you like it! Day 6 will be coming up once I finish typing and editing it.


	6. Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Serena has always known that Yuya was an entertainer. She just didn’t realize how much of an entertainer he actually was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week  
> Day 6  
> Prompt: Melody  
> Pairing: Emblemshipping (Yuya/Serena)

There are days when Serena wonders why she decided to stay in Maiami City. Even though months has gone by since the war ended and the four dimensions were split back into four, even though Academia is starting to reform and everyone who attended is getting help, Serena finds that she doesn’t really want to leave Maiami City. She knows that she can, that Academia isn’t the same as it was during the war and she can probably find a better life there than the one she led, but she just doesn’t want to.

Maybe it’s because Maiami City is far more lively than Academia. Maybe it’s because she has made friends there in the form of the Lancers. Maybe it’s because, for the first time in forever, Serena actually has the chance to act like a regular high school girl with other regular high school girls.

Maybe it’s because of him.

Serena stops and shakes her head, quickly moving out of the way when a student nearly walks into her back. Since she is still reluctant to leave Maiami City, Principal Shuzo had pulled some strings to get her admitted into Maiami Second with her three counterparts. Even if she has never attended an actual school before, Academia doesn’t really count, she is making the most of it, somewhat.

Yuzu and Ruri really help in that department as does Yuto.

Serena would sooner shove Yuri into a river than let him help her though and Yugo and Rin are even more in the dark about actual school than Serena is so she never asks them for help.

And then there’s Yuya…

Yuya has always been kind to Serena, even during the war and especially after it. Serena can’t help but admire him, mostly because his desire to bring smiles and happiness to everyone is actually part of the reason why the war ended on a happier note. He fought so hard for his own beliefs and stuck with his own dueling that it’s pretty amazing.

It took Serena’s duel against Yugo for her to get a glimpse of what Yuya was actually talking about.

Smiles with dueling.

Bringing everyone happiness with dueling.

There is no doubt in Serena’s mind that Yuya is definitely the greatest entertainment duelist in the worlds, even greater than his own father.

Music suddenly wafts out of a nearby room and Serena pauses, turning her head when she notices that she had come to a stop right outside of the band room. Curious, but figuring it was probably just a band student practicing before class, she poked her head into the room.

She is more than a little surprised to see that the person seated at the piano, with his fingers gently pressing against the black and white keys that is producing that beautiful melody, was Sakaki Yuya.

The melody that drifts from the piano is so beautiful that Serena finds herself leaning against the wall just inside the band room. Though she figures that she should be getting to class, she finds that she doesn’t want to leave. She wants to listen to the rest of this song.

Serena has always known that Yuya was an entertainer. She just didn’t realize how much of an entertainer he actually was.

_I didn’t even know he knew how to play the piano. I always thought Yuzu was the musically inclined one,_ she thinks as the melody continues to echo around them. A song of that was as beautiful and lulling, kind of like a love song or, maybe, a lullaby.

The melody ends.

“Ah, Serena?” Yuya’s startled voice breaks Serena out of the trance she’d, somehow, slipped into.

Not even realizing when she closed her eyes, she opens them and studies the boy who’s blushing in embarrassment, one hand resting on the back of his neck. “Erm, I didn’t realize you were there,” he admits, ducking his head shyly.

“Have you always been able to play the piano?” Serena asks, pushing away from the wall and walking over to join the other boy.

“Mostly,” Yuya admits and shifts across the bench, gesturing for her to sit down. She frowns but sits down anyway. “I kinda just taught myself during the years after Dad’s disappearance. It was...very calming and helped me out whenever I had a particularly bad day and didn’t have Yuzu or Gongenzaka to lean on.”

“Hmm.” Serena turns her gaze to the piano and the alternating black and white keys. “It was beautiful.”

“Do you really think so?” Yuya’s eyes are bright and Serena huffs and looks away, feeling her cheeks reddening.

“Of course I do. I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t,” she says with a scowl.

“Thanks, that means a lot. You’re the first person to ever hear me playing, you know?” Yuya says.

“Not even Yuzu?”

“No. Like I told you, I usually only played whenever I was alone and didn’t have anyone to talk to so you are the only one who’s ever heard me play. I’m glad you liked it though.”

Serena hums. “It was relaxing,” she admits. “I never really listen to music though.”

“You’re missing out. Here, I’ll play something that I just taught myself a few weeks ago,” Yuya says and his fingers begin to run over the keys again. The music that pours out of the piano has the same melodic component to it as the previous song but it was a bit more upbeat and playful.

“I like this one better,” she says.

“So do I, actually,” Yuya says with a grin. “It’s more...upbeat. It’s like the kind of music you would play on stage.”

Serena shrugs. She wouldn’t really know that since she isn’t an entertainer herself.

The bell rings and Yuya yelps and jumps to his feet. “We’re late,” he exclaims and, grabbing Serena’s hand, bolts out of the band room with a startled Serena stumbling after him.

“You don’t need to drag me! I can walk just fine on my own!” she exclaims with an irritated glare as Yuya slows down to a walk and releases her hand. She won’t admit it out loud but it felt kind of nice to hold Yuya’s hand like that.

“Sorry,” he says with a sheepish smile as they near the classroom door.

“Just don’t do that again,” Serena growls.

“Duly noted.” Yuya walks toward the classroom door but then stops. “Hey, Serena?”

“Yeah, what?”

“If you want to listen to some more songs, I usually go to the band room in the mornings before class starts. I won’t mind if you come by to listen,” he says quietly and then darts into the classroom but not before Serena sees the slightest hint of a blush on his cheeks.

“Won’t mind, huh?” She murmurs and a faint smile crosses her lips. “Well, I won’t mind listening to more songs.”

She makes her way into the classroom, humming the second melody that Yuya played as she walks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww, this pairing is one of my favorite rare pairings (second only to Syncshipping). These two are really cute together, personally speaking. I hope that you like it.


	7. Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Yuto is positive Yuri is stalking him. Yuri disagrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARC-V Rare Pair Week 2019  
> Prompt: Shadow  
> Pairing: Spectershipping

Yuto is positive Yuri is stalking him.

He gives the purple-and-pink-haired boy an irritated look as he walks down the main street of Maiami City, his hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. Yuri notices the glare and just smirks back at him but doesn’t stop following him.

Yuto wanders around the corner and comes to a stop, spinning on his heels and glaring at Yuri when the boy comes to a stop a few feet behind him. “Why are you following me everywhere?” he says, removing his hands from his pockets and folding them across his chest.

“Whatever do you mean? I am simply walking in the same direction as you,” says Yuri, that predatory smirk still dominating his lips and Yuto lets out a soft growl of irritation.

“You’ve been ‘walking in the same direction as’ me for the past week. Why?” he says.

Yuri shrugs. “It’s supposed to help me or something. Akaba Reiji seems to think that if I shadow someone who’s a good person, I can learn to be a good person or whatever. I don’t get his reasoning, really. It seems completely stupid to me. And I’m pretty sure that reasoning comes more from Yuya than anyone. Anyway, I decided to shadow you ‘cause you’re the less annoying of my counterparts,” he says.

_Great. Of all the people for Yuri to_ shadow _, he has to choose me. Why would he even choose me given what happened during the war? I would have thought he would shadow Yuya,_ Yuto thinks as he turns and starts walking again, deciding that, so long as Yuri doesn’t literally stab him in the back, he’ll be fine.

On that note, he drops back to walk alongside Yuri.

The last thing he wants is to give Yuri access to his back after all.

Yuri raises an eyebrow. “I’m not going to stab you in the back, you know,” he says. “They won’t let me have anything that I can potentially use as a weapon so...”

_That does not ease my worry at all._

He simply starts walking, deciding not to respond to that statement.

“Where are we going anyway?” says Yuri as he scans the area with a furrowed brow.

“I’m heading to the beach. Yugo and Yuya are meeting me there,” says Yuto.

“Hoh? Those two are an item already? It’s about damn time.”

Yuto gives his Fusion counterpart a surprised look. Had it really been that obvious that those two had started to like each other as more than simply counterparts and friends? The only reason he knows is because Yuya confessed his feelings for Yugo not that long ago and he’d been present when Yuya shyly asked Yugo out.

But Yuri hadn’t been present when that happened.

“Don’t give me that look. It’s obvious to anyone with eyes,” Yuri says, rolling his eyes as he folds his arms across his chest.

Yuto raises an eyebrow but decides against responding to that.

“You’re not that talkative, are you?” says Yuri.

_Not with someone like you,_ Yuto thinks but doesn’t repeat that thought out loud. He knows that, in his own way, Yuri is trying to become different from what he was like during the war. So he supposes he should try to give Yuri another chance.

Keyword there being try.

“Do you want to join me, Yuya, and Yugo at the beach?” he asks.

Yuri blinks, tilting his head to the side in surprise. “Hoh? I would have thought you wouldn’t want to spend anymore time with me than necessary,” he says.

“It’s called being nice,” Yuto says flatly.

“Nice, huh? Well, it’s not like I have anything better to do and I’m supposed to be shadowing you anyway to learn to be a better person or whatever so I suppose. At least I can irritate Fusion- _kun_. That’s always fun.”

They haven’t even reached the beach yet and yet Yuto is starting to, marginally, regret inviting Yuri to come along.

But he did tell himself that he’ll give Yuri a chance so he’ll just bite his lip and bear with it.

He just hopes that he won’t have to break up a fight between Yuri and Yugo again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, since I did Syncshipping earlier, I may as well end this week with Spectershipping. It's an interesting dynamic to explore how Yuto and Yuri would interact after canon so decided to explore that.
> 
> I hope you like it, and all of the pairings that I explored during this Rare Pair Week. I had fun and I look forward to doing it again next year! Thank you all for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time participating in ARC-V Rare Pair Week but I decided that it would be fun. The pairings I chose are pairings that I, personally, like but don't really get a lot of love. Our first pairing of the week is Clearnightshipping (Yugo/Serena), though the short oneshot is more platonic than romantic.


End file.
